


The Ruin of a Good Tunic

by RougueShadowWolf



Series: 15 Minutes [188]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Always Female Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale Comes Back, F/M, Female Stiles Stilinski, Mentions of Cancer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-12
Updated: 2018-04-12
Packaged: 2019-04-20 15:56:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14264511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RougueShadowWolf/pseuds/RougueShadowWolf
Summary: Stiles didn’t feel any shame over the scars left behind from her battle with cancer, she didn’t feel the need to pretend nothing had happened, that is until Derek came back.





	The Ruin of a Good Tunic

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there and welcome to my madness. (Posting it now, hours later than intended, but it just wouldn't happen the first time around)
> 
> I'm going to warn you all, I'm slowly trying crawl back to being me, so don't expect grand things from me.  
> And to those who aren't familiar with this series, know that each tale if written in 15Minutes so there's not much time to think, check or try and make a great story, so if you can't handle that with grace please leave and save yourself misery. 
> 
> So, this tale is for my friend who is for this time around called Adventure-Ahoy who loves herself some Female-Stiles Stilinski so if that isn't your thing RUN AWAY, save yourself!
> 
> Adventure-Ahoy wanted a fic with fem-Stiles (not a surprise that) and she wanted to Stiles to have battle scars of sorts, from what that was up to me to pick and since I'm not at my best I took the easy way out. She also wanted a fic where Jackson isn't an asshole and where Derek cares about Stiles.

Stiles knew she should’ve known better than to wear one of her favorite and most comfortable tunics around the pack, but none of the other shirts, blouses, hoodies or tunics had felt comfortable for various reasons, and so she chose her favorite tunic one which had once belonged to her mother.

 `Shit. Fuck. Sorry Stiles. ´ Jackson says with a tinge of panic in his voice, it’s clear to everyone he hadn’t deliberately crashed into her, knocking not only her over but also the cup of Kira’s Mysterious Kickass Punch she’d been holding, the red liquid staining the white fabric unforgivingly.

 `I’m so-so-so-so sorry. ´ Liam says as he rushes over to kneel down beside her, right across her body where Jackson was kneeling.

 Liam may have thrown the ball in the direction of where Stiles had been standing in the pleasant shade of a tree, waiting for Isaac to bring her a chair, but Stiles had no doubts that Liam hadn’t meant for any of this to happen.

 `Not your fault. ´ Jackson tells the younger werewolf before Stiles can, and once again she’s amazed by the change in Jackson who no longer was the asshole that escaped to London years ago, and Stiles could understand whole heartedly why Lydia was dating Jackson again.

 `Don’t blame yourself. ´ Jackson tells the slightly tearful Liam, reaching out to give him a light squeeze on the slumped shoulder of the kid that had become very much like a little brother to Jackson, `I should’ve looked where the hell I was running. ´

 `I’m fine. No need to fuss. ´ Stiles tells the two werewolves before groaning as Scott appears in her field of vision, her brother from another mother looked absolutely panicked which was unnecessary.  

 `Isaac! Get the car! ´ the Alpha shouts, and yes indeed Scott was clearly over-reacting, she took a small fall, it was hardly a valid reason to cut a nice day of celebrating the return of Derek Hale short.

`Don’t you dare Isaac! ´ Stiles shrieks while trying to sit-up, her efforts however are sabotaged by several pairs of hands pushing her back down, to lay down flat while Jackson checked for any visible injuries which there were none, all the while asking unnecessary questions about pain-levels and such.   

 `Isaac, get the car! ´ Scott barks out at Isaac who stood torn between following the order of his alpha or the one everyone had started to call the pack-mom, in the end Isaac does lock eyes with Stiles.

 `I’m fine. ´ Stiles tells Isaac who gives her a short nod, accepting her judgement, her declaration.

`Oh My God. I’m the Alpha. ´ Scott cries out in disbelief, `How do you do that. How do you overwrite my orders? ´

 `I’m the one who feeds your pack several times a week McCall, and I’m the one who patches them up too, and I’m the mom of the pack and we moms have special powers - powers you can’t even dream of. ´ Stiles tells her childhood friend, while trying to slap away all the hands trying to hold her down.

`Stiles. ´ Scott pleads but Stiles is so done with being treated like some fragile little thing, someone weak human that would never be the same again, it was fine months ago but now that she was fine it was becoming seriously old and annoying.

 `I’m fine you guys. ´ Stiles breathes out with an air of pure annoyance, there was no reason for her to be treated like this, she was fine.

`I’m fine. ´ Stiles goes on to say, doing her best not to think too much on the possibility that her favorite tunic was forever ruined, ` I’m wet. Unpleasantly stained, and sticky, but fine. ´

 `Stiles? ´ and there he was, the ridiculously handsome man of the hour, the smile that had appeared when Derek realized the small gathering was a party for him gone, it was truly a shame that the smile was lost. Seeing Derek laughing and joking with everyone had been such a wonderful sight, and it made her heart ache seeing no trace of it now as he peered down at her.

 `Stiles! ´ and there’s her dad now, pushing forth nearly knocking Liam on his ass, `Sweetheart, what happened? ´ and her dad is closely followed by Melissa, this was just ridiculous since Stiles had been fine fort months!

`For the love of God, ´ Stiles groans, doing her best not to it with the people she loved and called her family, letting out a breath that feels so full of aggression and frustration.

 Stiles hated what she was about to suggest, but knew it was the only way to stop Scott from fucking-up a perfectly good day because of his ridiculous concerns for her health. Stiles had understood, been sympathetic to Scott’s worries and almost overbearing nature while she _was_ sick, it had almost felt comforting to know people cared but now it was positively suffocating and it made her feel sick, like there was still cancer beneath her skin waiting to kill her.   

 `If Melissa checks me out _and_ says I’m fine, can we just go back to having some fun? ´ a question directed at both her father and Scott, since she knows her dad is starting to reach the same level of freaking-the-fuck-out level as Scott.

 The worried wolves, and gods there were many of them, agreed and so did her father.

 With a helping hand from Jackson and a steadying arm from Scott, Stiles’ gets herself right back up on her feet, her father restlessly standing nearby and ready to help if need be.

 `Now, go, have fun. ´ Stiles orders, feeling almost eager to escape all the looks of concern directed at her, making her way to the house flanked by her father as well as Melissa, pausing only once to make sure that her guests were doing as they were told.

` Everyone is better be having a heck of a good time when I get back, or there will be no cake! And no, I’m not kidding, Liam. I’ll eat the whole damn thing on my own, and you all know whole I’ll blame if I get sick or fat! ´ Stiles threatens before stepping inside the house.

**~*~**

There’s an uneasy silence in what was still her bedroom, although now it was more the bedroom of a young woman than a teen who got herself mixed-up in a world of supernatural craziness.  Breathing in a shaky breath Stiles removes the possibly ruined tunic, closing her eyes Stiles fights back the tears that threatened to fall, she may put on a brave face around everyone but around Melissa the walls crumbled.

 `Oh honey. ´ Melissa says softly while removing the small piece of garment, then the prostheses that gave an illusion that Stiles still had her breasts. Stiles had gone flat-chested, prostheses-free, every day since the surgery but as soon as she learned Derek was back she’d started to wear the damn thing that felt unnatural since it wasn’t an actual part of her body.

 It wasn’t so much vanity, a need to look pretty for Derek, that had driven her to wearing something artificial on her body. No, it wasn’t vanity, it was the simple want to have just one person not treating her differently.

 Melissa held her tightly, not hushing her or telling her everything was fine, but there was no need for empty words since all Stiles’ needed was the silent comfort Melissa offered. Since Day One of Stiles battle against the cancer that had bloomed and spread without her noticing it, Melissa McCall had been there to comfort her, to hold her hand and to ask the questions Stiles had but just bring herself to ask.

 Once Stiles had cried the tears she needed to expel she steps back, breathing in a couple of slow and deep breaths. Since her body failed her, since her body was cut open and pumped full of drugs, Stiles had become surprisingly sensitive and emotional under certain situations which annoyed her greatly.

 `Let’s do this. ´ is all Stiles says, and with a short nod Melissa goes into her nurse-mode. As always Melissa was very professional as she checked Stiles over, each touch clinical, each question made was easily answered with a yes or a no. Still unable to look down at her battered chest, Stiles focused on the framed pictures on her dresser, focusing her thoughts on the good moments captured forever in those framed pictures.

 `You’re fine. ´ Melissa tells her once she’s done with the examination of Stiles battered body, a gentle hand going up to cup Stiles’ cheek, there’s a small smile pulling at her lips as she repeats the claim of Stiles being fine.

 `I know. ´ Stiles tells her, putting on a small smile.  

 `You should tell him. ´ Melissa says without warning while making her way towards the door, ready to fetch a washcloth so that Stiles could remove the stickiness of the drink that had ended-up all over her chest.   

`No. He’ll – he’ll just treat me differently – like everyone does. ´ Stiles says voice so small as she fights to keep her emotions in check, her eyes avoiding to look at the flat fields of skin that stretched across her chest, doing her best to not see the scars that traveled across unpleasant distances.  

 `I think you should, ´ Melissa goes on to say, `he’ll find out eventually, maybe not to day or in a few months, but eventually he’ll hear it from someone else, you know hoe gossip runs in Beacon Hills. ´ and with that the nurse left the room.

 There were times when Stiles’ did regret choosing the road of double mastectomy, but she’d chosen it for various reason. Stiles had been desperate to survive and to do so without bankrupting herself and her father, she’d just wanted to survive to hell with everything else.

 Stiles however had no regrets when it came to making the choice between new fancy boobs or freezing her eggs, compared to a couple of artificial breasts little baby Stilinski’s were the only choice; after all what good were a couple of breast to her in the long run, or to her father who would love nothing more than to have a couple of grandkids to spoil in the future.

 There’s a soft knock on the door, thinking it was her dad or Melissa, Stiles simply says, `Come in. ´ She didn’t feel the need to hide her cut-up and patched back together chest from her dad, after all he’d helped changed the bandages after the surgery that changed a part of her body but also saved her life.

 It isn’t until a gasp is heard that Stiles realizes the mistake she’s made, turning her gaze over to the one person she’d never witness what everyone else in the pack already had in one way or another.

 `Stiles. ´ Derek whispers brokenly, stepping into the room, moving towards her before she can even think to try and cover the now ugliest part of her body. The eyes that held too much emotions gazed at her in an unfamiliar way, and Stiles couldn’t bare it, she’d rather have a glaring Derek Hale at the moment because that one was someone she knew how to handle.

 `Don’t. Just. Don’t. ´ Stiles says sharply while hastily reaching for the messy tunic, but suddenly there’s a light-grey Henley being shoved at her, one which Derek had been wearing all day.

 `It’s dry. ´ is all the werewolf says, hesitantly Stiles takes it fighting against the urge to breathe in the scent that was attached to the fabric, quickly putting on the Henley covering herself up. The fabric covering her body was far too big on her, but it felt warm and comforting against her no longer exposed skin.

 `You’re…´ Derek starts again, a nervous hand moving through his hair as he searched for whatever words he needed, `You’re not – you’re not…´

 `Dying?  ´ Stiles asks, and suddenly all color drains from Derek’s handsome face, and there’s such dread there in those magnificent eyes of his that she’s honestly a little bit stunned to find such a reaction.

 `Please, tell me you’re not going too… ´ Derek starts, voice broken and desperate as he moves restlessly, the werewolf seems uncertain of what to do. It’s clear that he doesn’t know if he should go to her, or to just pace around. Derek’s gaze is full of desperation.

 The heartbreaking sadness, the undeniable dread that had flooded Derek is shockingly real, and it makes her heartache in ways Stiles had never felt before. Stiles had never wanted, and still didn’t and never would want to cause Derek any sort of distress, he’d had enough pain and misery in his life without her adding to it.

` I’m not. ´ Stiles says, short and simple was the best way to go at the moment.

 The stifled sob that escaped from behind Derek’s hand, is enough for her to move towards the man, it’s pure instinct really after years of comforting packmates, but unlike the others she feels a need to ask permission.

 `May I touch you. ´ she asks gently.

 Derek who looks like his knees might give in at any moment just looks at her as if she’s one screw short from a full set, but then he just pulls her into his arms sort of ruining her plan to hug him. Still she wraps her arms around him, both of her hands reaching out to settle against his back, gently applying pressure there, softly rubbing against the warm skin she’d only ever dreamt about touching.

 She’s quiet as Derek clings to her tightly, `Why didn’t you tell me? ´ he asks after a little while, a while during which Melissa had appeared and disappeared.

 `The truth? ´ Stiles asks against the broad shoulder of a guy who had once upon which the weight of the world had seemed to stand upon.

 Derek nods, a shiver coursing through her body as she feels both skin and beard touch the exposed skin of her neck and shoulder.

 `I didn’t want to face it at first, did my best not to tell anyone but dad. ´ and it’s the truth, she’d done her best to ignore reality for as long as possible, `And then I just didn’t want you to feel like you had to come back, ´ here Derek pulls back a little, but he’s still not letting her go.

 `I was also afraid, afraid that you wouldn’t come, that you wouldn’t care. ´ and that there had been her greatest fear really.

 `Of course I would’ve cared! ´ Derek says sharply while letting her go, stepping back a look of disbelief and anger washing over his features.

 Sure, she knew now that Derek would’ve cared, but maybe she just wasn’t ready to face that possibility while battling the Big-Bad-C. 

 `Damn it Stiles, ´ Derek curses, moving towards her only to step back and grapping a fist full of his own hair as he curses a couple of more times.

 `Of course I’d care what happens to you. I’ve always cared. ´ he continues, voice a little bit too loud but there’s something terrifyingly earnest about Derek at that moment, enough to still any reply Stiles might’ve had.

 `I could’ve been here Stiles, instead of sending you those stupid postcards, and letters. I could’ve been here to help you, because that’s what we do Stiles. That’s our thing. One of us gets in trouble, the other rushes in. That’s what we do, that’s…. You can’t just change the rules on me Stiles. ´

 Stiles is stunned into an unfamiliar silence, never even imagining this to be Derek’s reaction. She’d never known Derek felt the same way about “their thing”, she’d just imagined it was something she’d made-up, and Scott had even laughed when she’d said it was her and Derek’s thing. Heck even Lydia had laughed and called it a messed-up thing, and yeah it was a messed-up thing but it was their first-thing, now there were many other things, safer and less harmful things.

 `We - you and me. ´ Derek goes on to say, pointing furiously at her and then at himself, `You and I Stiles, we help each other. ´ there’s a desperation in his voice that breaks into her heart and she’s tempted to reach out, the way she would whenever the demons of Isaac’s past climbed into his mind, Derek is however moving around like a caged tiger and she’s not entirely sure she’d appreciate being touched by her at the moment.

 `I’m sorry. ´ is all she manages to say it’s enough to cause him to pause, to look at her like she’s both and alien and someone who’d betrayed him in the worst possible way.

 `And – and the post cards weren’t stupid. I love those postcards. I’ve kept all of them. ´ here she points at a small wooden book, and she moves over to it, gently tracing her fingers over the familiar patterns on the lid.

 `And – and you did help me, ´ she says barely above a whisper, eyes closed, fighting to keep her heart from betraying her.

 ` When I felt sick, miserable, ready give-up they helped me because, ´ and now it’s her time to start crying, because she really hates thinking about those days when she was tempted to just give-up, to take her dads gun and end it.

 `Because, I’d imagine you out there, sightseeing, surfing, trying new things and being happy. Just being happy. Every new card, every new letter or picture, made my day. ´

 Breathing in a shaky breath Stiles does her best steady her voice as she continued to say, ` You did help me Derek. Just not in the way you think. Never in the way think. ´

 She feels him before he’s even wrapped his arms around her once more, the comforting warmth of his body breaking down the last walls she’d built around her, and she lets him hold her and she sinks gladly into his embrace turning only to bury her face against his chest.

 `Please, don’t ever keep stuff as big as this from me. ´ she hears Derek whisper in her ear as he holds her close, `I’m not sure I could handle losing someone else without having a chance to say goodbye. ´ 

 `I promise. ´ and she does, she never thought about it, about all the people Derek had lost without having a chance to say goodbye, she really didn’t want to be one of them, not if she could help it.

 


End file.
